[JohnR]

Roon is a Music Player (Win & MAC for now) that has a ton of Details about Artists, Songs, Upcoming Concerts, who else played/performed/wrote a song, etc.  Others have talked about the Roon Core and Roon Remote PC's (DAC hookup), but you can just use one for both tasks. 

It comes from the Sooloos world if familiar with that product, but it does not require the Meridian HW.  Cost is due to the licensing/using of MetaData information from various sources (your Roon Core talks to the Roon DB (at Roon) to get this information).   Currently your album/song MetaData is not used, but that is an upcoming feature/enhancement.   Right now there is an Android Remote Control App, with IOS Remote Control App currently in closed Beta and due out shortly - week or two.   Headless versions coming soon (Linux support too).  As some have stated, insufficient graphics on your PC (OpenGL support) keeps some from using Roon - Headless will address this.   Plays most everything up to DSD256 if your HW supports it.

Hope this is not too much reading....

Not at all, thank you. I think I get it now. Just a question - in this process that it does where it "weaves it all into a single music experience," it doesn't modify anything, right? Like rename or move files, or anything like that?

[jtwrace]

Uhm. So... what does it do, exactly?

http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/640-roon-roon-labs-video-run-through/
 
Not for me. YMMV

[DTB300]

Not at all, thank you. I think I get it now. Just a question - in this process that it does where it "weaves it all into a single music experience," it doesn't modify anything, right? Like rename or move files, or anything like that?

No changes to your files or MetaData....  BUT...if you put files into Managed Folders instead of Watched Folders, Roon will try to (re)organize your files into album/artist hierarchy (if I remember this right). 

I just used Watched Folders as my organization of albums and artists is excellent.

New feature(s) coming out and one is being able to use your own MetaData instead of 100% Roon MetaData.  This will help with many albums not recognized by Roon and their MetaData Partners.  Compilations, small Labels, etc are some of the main issues, but there are even common albums not being found and reported to Roon to see what is going on.  I see 3% of my albums as "unknown" by Roon, but Album Pic is there and all the songs in the right order - just no additional info is available (until Roon knows about it)

[ricko01]

ROON probably will not be for everyone.  To me, it is for those who really want to go deep into the background of their music, and find more info about the players, careers and associations while they are listening (via a tablet interface).  For me, while I am listening to music I really do not want to be browsing other information on a screen, I want to close my eyes and be taken on a journey without distractions.

Mate,

I am with you on this.

I still "spin" CD's using my Slim Devices Transporter into my DAC and I still consider the Transporter the best of its kind.

Why?. Cause of that damn fine display (and the software/topology/SQ arent that shabby either)

It's all I need to drill down on my collection and select what I need... Dont need no stinking laptop/ipad etc and once listening, like you, I can focus on the music.

And the Transporter has stayed current... I am also now a happy Tidal listener.

Peter